Following a month that saw record COVID-19 deaths and infections here, the government has extended the COVID-19 Emergency Measures, including the national 10pm to 4am curfew, while allowing for the limited opening of casinos and betting shops.
The order extending the measures, which was published in the Official Gazette, retains a majority of the measures that were in place for last month were carried over for May. In addition to these measures, casinos and betting shops are now allowed to open to 40% capacity. And even as restaurants and bars are still allowed to be opened at the same 40% capacity, an additional measure in the order now prevents pool or snooker games from being played at bars.
The Emergency Measures, which previously stated that persons should be wearing face masks in public, while travelling in a vehicle, vessel or aircraft, now mandates mask wearing at workplaces. However, the mask mandate does not apply for persons from the same household in a private vehicle or for persons who are in a vehicle, vessel or aircraft alone.
During the month of April, which has been the deadliest of the pandemic in Guyana with 65 deaths and a total of 3,034 infections, a number of stakeholders have made calls for the government to be stricter in its enforcement of the emergency measures and to even return to the previous 6pm to 6am curfew.
However, President Irfaan Ali on Wednesday told members of the media that the enforcement of the measures will be strengthened and enhanced but no changes would be made to the curfew based on advice from the COVID-19 Task Force.
